Cece On The Hill: nature

Because it's never too late to do a favourites post, let me introduce you to some of the 2013 favourites here on the Hill. Starting with beauty favourites we have a nail polish from Kiko the #243 (Plum Red), a dark red colour that was, without a doubt, my most used nail polish colour in the last year. Although it's more a fall/winter colour trend I love it so much that I used all year around.

Another favourite of mine in the beauty department was the Naked Basics palette by Urban Decay. With very classy colours that allows to create perfect looks for school or work I always tend to reach for this palette above all the others I own.

For clothes favourites I also peaked two items. The first one is a combination jacket with zips and leather arms. Because I'm always in a rush when leaving home in the morning, I tend to be very practical and this jacket has been my savior. The leather detail makes all the difference in the outfit and gives an illusion that I spend a lot of time putting the outfit together, when I didn't. The pale green make it easy to combine with almost every colour.

Also, last year I decided to be more healthier and exercise more, so I started to run. The benefits from running are countless and all you need is a nice pair of shoes and you're good to go, because you know, ''A good pair of shoes will take you to good places''! My Nike Flex running shoes have been, ''The'' shoes, my companion in adventures.

Talking about accessories, I must confess that I do love the trend of statement necklaces but somehow I found myself using more minimalistic jewelry. The combination bellow it's a recurrence that I love. Very light. Very chic.

For food/beverage favourites the award goes to Nescafé Cappuccino - Café de Viena. Oh my! It's like the perfect end for a long day! And the best of all is that I can have it in the comfort of my home, especially on that more cold, wet and windy winter days.

Last year favourite book (this was a tough one!) it was probably The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. We heard about the HeLa cells but what do we know about the person behind the cells? With this book we can learn about Henrietta, her family and the hardships they went through during that time due to their race and economical situation, and the ethical issues implicated in the HeLa story. An excellent non fiction book that is fascinating, inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.

Favourite serie was, without a doubt, Game of Thrones. It's impossibly good! The only thing I dislike is the ginormous time between seasons.

Last favourite of mine (but not least important!) is the beautiful Nature! We are blessed to live in a world full of wonders, and one of my wishes for 2014 is that people start to appreciate and treat better the beautifull word that they live in!

So this concludes my 2013 favourites. Hope you enjoy!

In Portugal is that wonderful time of the year when you'll find, everywhere that you look, flowers bloom and birds dancing and singing in the sky. As a student it also means long days of studying, projects and related works because final exams aren't that far away. The rhythm of this time of the year can be exhaustive.

Although we have the same cycle in winter time, I quite enjoy study with the rain falling outside as my soundtrack. I find it very relaxing. And let's be honest, inside is much more comfy! But in springtime it's a crime not enjoy nature in such sunny days.

Sometimes, to find motivation for those long days of studying I like to take a break with my loyal companion half dog - halg wolf Mushu and adventure in the nature. There is one place in particular that I love the most and where I can always find motivation and peace. So I thought I would share this beautiful place and maybe help someone to find their own motivation.

It's a shame that photos don't have sound or smell but I can say that the sound reminds me of the openig scene of Pride and Prejudice (2005) and the smell is a rich mixture between wet soil, freshly cut grass, and the sweet senses of wild flowers.

I know that Earth Day was yesterday but everyday is a good day to realize how wonderful our planet is and worth protecting.